WEBVTT >> I BUILT THIS PATIO.rtAND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS IDID WHEN I STARTED WORKING HERE-->> JIM:rt THIS IS MY SON JAMES.HE IS 29 AND THIS IS WHERE SHEWORKS.-- IS WHERE HE WORKS.>>rt I SAID SURE, I CAN GO TO APATIO.I HAD NO IDEA HOW TO, BUT I HADA PHONE WITH YOUTUBE, AND IrtYOUTUBED HOW TO MAKE A PATIO.SUMMER: A REHAB WERE JAMES IS AMANAGER RUNNING THE RESIDENTIALPROGRAM, KEEPING WATCH OVER ATrtLEAST 70 ADDICTS AND ALCOHOLICSEVERY DAY.>> I GOT THE VIDEOS AND ILEARNED HOW TO GET THE GROUNDRIGHT IMAGE OF THE PLACE, NOTrtALL THE STONES, AND YOU KNOW, ITHOUGHT IT WOULD TAKE ME A DAYOR TWO, AND IT TOOK ME ABOUT AWEEK.[LAUGHTER]>> REALLY HOT WORK.JIM:rt BUT THIS IS WERE JAMES WANTUP AFTER TWO RELAPSES.THE PEOPLE AT SOLUTIONS SAVEDHIS LIFE.>> FIRST TIME I DRANK WASPROBABLY IN MIrtDDLE SCHOOL,HAVING STOLEN SOME LIQUOR FROM AFRIEND'S GRANDMOTHER ANDWREAKING IT.-- INrt DRINKING IT.I LIKED THE EFFECTS SO MUCH THATIT IS SOMETHING I PURSUED SINCETHAT DAY.THE FIRST TIME I DRANK, IBLACKED OUT, AND I THOUGHT ITrtWAS PRETTY GREAT.THEN I STARTED USING ANYTHINGFROM ALCOHOL TO PRESCRIPTIONPILLS, MARIJUANA, AND WHATEVERWAS AROUND, WHATEVER WrtAS BEINGDONE THAT DAY.IT GOT AS BAD AS DAILY DRINKING,TAKING PAIN PILLS, TAKINGrt XANAX,THINGS LIKE THAT, ECSTASY.REALLY, IT DID DEPEND ON WHATWAS AVAILABLE AT THE TIME.JIM: THERE WERE WARNING SIGNS,SO WE HAD OUR SON DRUG TESTEDrtREGULARLY SINCE HE WAS 15 AND WEFORBID HIM FROM GETTING ADRIVERS LICENSE UNTIL SHE --HEPAST.HErt EARNED A SCHOLARSHIP TOCOLLEGE, WHICH WAS WHERE THEDRINKING AND DRUGS ESCALATED.>> WAKE UP IN THE MORNING ANDSAY, YOU KrtNOW, I DON'T WANT TO,BUT KNOWING I WOULD AND STARTEDTO LIFT IN FEAR -- STARTED TOLIVE IN FEAR BEING IT WASrtSOMETHING I CANNOT CONTROLANYMORE.IT WAS THE PAIN PILLS, THE KOKE,AND THE DRINKING, BECOMING ADAILY THING.JIM: A DECADE LETTER, THE DEMONOF DRUrtGS AND ALCOHOL RULED HISLIFE.ONE NIGHT, HE WOUND UP IN AHOSPITAL IN THE STAFF TOLD HIMSHE NEEDED -- EVEN NEEDEDrt TO GOTO REHAB -- AND HE NEEDED TO GOTO REHAB.>> MY FAVORITE STORY ABOUT JAMESIS THAT HE BECAMErt TRULYFRUSTRATED WITH HIS LIFE INADDICTION.AND THAT HE REALIZED HE WAS OUTOF IDEAS, AND HE HADrt TRIED TOUSE ALL OF HIS MIAMI HUSTLE TOGET HIM TO MOVE ON, AND IT HADFAILED.JIM:rt DAVE MARLON RUN SOLUTIONSRECOVERY.>> AND HE CAME AND HE SAID THESTORY ABOUT BEING INrt REHAB, ANDA GUY SHOWED UP IN A MEETING TOHAD WONDER CLEAN WHO HAD COMEINTO REHAB THE SAME TIME JAMESDID COME AND JAMES IS LOOKINGANrtD SAYING, THIS AND THE SELFHAS A YOUR CLAIM AND NOW HELOOKS GREAT!HE'S BEAMING,rt HE'S HAPPY, HE'SGETTING MARRIED!ENGINE SAID IF THIS BORON CAN DOIT, I HAVE TO TRY IT.JIM: JAMESrt -- DAVID PULLED NOPUNCHES WHEN IT CAME TO THERECOVERY.>> WHAT ABOUT WHENrt HE STARTEDUSING DRUGS?>> WE HAD SUSPICIONS THAT THINGSWERE A MESS -- AMISS.rtEVERY MEMBER SOMETHING WITH ACELL PHONE THAT YOU WEREATTACKED AT SCHOOL OVER A CELLPHONE.THAT WAS THE STORY THAT CAME UP.LOOKING BACK ONrt IT, I CAN SEETHAT THERE WERE WARNING SIGNS.BUT I MEAN, I LOVE MY SON, SOI'M GOING TO TAKE HIM AT HISWORD.>>rt SO ACCORDING TO JIM, YOU MUSTBE FINE DESPITE THE FACT HE ISrtBECOMING ADDICTED.IN YOUR HOME, YOU WOULD SENDYOUR LITTLE BOYrt TO GO OUT AND BEADDICTED INTO CHOSE.JIM: I DIDN'T SEE IT.>> YOU WOULD THINK YOU ANDSHARrtON WOULD BE PRETTY ENGAGEDPARENTS.JIM: I WOULD THINK SO.OUR LIFE IS DIFFERENT THAN MOSTPEOPLES.IT JUST IS.YOU KNOW, BUTrt IT --BUT HINDSIGHTIS SUCH A TEACHER.I CAN'T LOOKrt BACK ON ANY OF THEDECISIONS THAT WE MADE AND SAYTHAT WE MADE BAD DECISIONS ATTHE TIME.WE JUST DID NOT HAVE THErtKNOWLEDGE THAT WE NEEDED TO MOVEFOR THE RIGHT WAY.IT WAS OUT THERE, BUT I JUSTNEVER PUT IT ALL TOGETHER.WE GOT THATrt KNOWLEDGE BY LEANINGON OTHERS WHO HAD BATTLEDADDICTION WITHIN THEIR FAMILIES,AND GETTING THE STRENGTH TO DOBUT INSTINCTIVELY FELT LONG.IF YOU ARE Art PARENT IN ASITUATION WHERE YOU ARE DEALINGWITH SOMEBODY WHO IS ADDICTED,AND YOU ARE SHOWERINGrt THEM WITHLOVE, YOU'RE GOING TO KILL THEM.THAT IS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.>> YOU GUYS ARE MY LAST RESOURCETO KEEP USING AND KEEP LIVIrtNGTHE WAY I WAS DOING.WHEN I LOST THAT, I HAD NO OTHERCHOICE EXCEPT FOR GET -- GIVERECOVERY A REAL SHrtOT.>> I TREAT THOUSANDS OF CLIENTS.YOU GUYS ARE IF NOT THE BEST SETOF CLIENTS THAT ANYrt OF MYCLIENTS EVER HAD.I KNOW YOU ARE.SOME FOLKS WILL COME IN AND SAYI DRINK BECAUSE MY PARENTS DID.MYrt MAUMEE -- MY MOMMY OR MYDADDY.THERE WAS NONE OF THAT HERE.JAMES ALWAYS SAYS HOW GRACEFULHE IS.rtBUT IT ALSO GOES TO SHOW YOUTHAT THE DISEASE ISN'T, IT ISN'TNECESSARILY A RESULT OF A BADUPBRINGING.JIM:rt WE TRIED A LOT OF DIFFERENTTHINGS.TOOK US A WHILE -- IT TOOK US AWHILE TO FIND THAT ONE REALLYSIMPLE STErtP PROGRAM THAT TAUGHTUS HOW TO BE THE BEST PARENTSFOR THE SITUATION.UM, BECAUSErt AS MY SON SAID,EVERYTHING IS GEARED TOWARD THEPERSON WHO IS DEALING WITHADDICTION.BUT IF YOU DON'T CHANGE THESITUATION ATrt HOME, YOU AREALMOST GUARANTEED FAILURE.>> MY LIFE IS MUCH BETTER.I ACTUALLY HAVE SOMETHING TOGIVE PEOPLE, WHICH FEELS GREAT.rtI KNOW, YOU KNOW, I GET TO SEEPEOPLE THATrt WERE WHERE I WASFIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO, EVERYDAY.I KNOW THAT ENTITLED GUY.I KNOW THE DISRESPECTFUL GUY.I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IGO.rtANDY GIVES ME A GOOD REMINDER --AND IT GIVES ME A GREATrt REMINDERTO KEEP DOING WHAT I NEED TO DO.THANKS, GUYS.JIM: MY SON IS AN AWESOME MAN.I'M SO PROUD OF HIM.HE'S ALWAYS BEEN MYrt GUY EVERSINCE HE WAS LITTLE.MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, I AMTHANKFUL YOU ARE STILL HERE, ANDTHAT WE CAN STILL BrtE FATHER ANDSON.AND THAT I CAN BE AROUND FORTHESE NEXT MAJOR STEPS YOU ARETAKING IN YOUR LIFE.rtAND I KNOW THAT YOUR MOM FEELSTHE SAME WAY.>> THIS IS A BIG DEAL RIGHT NOW.I AM SUPER PROUD TO BE HERE WITHYOU TALKING LIKE THIS.rtYOU ARE GOING.TO BE AND MY WEDDING AND ACOUPLE OF WEEKS.THAT IS A BIG DEAL AND THAT WILLKEEP GETTING BETTER.JIM: THAT IS HOW IT IS SUPPOSEDTO BE.rtSUMMER: WOW.INCREDIBLE THAT YOU ARE WILLINGTO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE LIKETHAT.WE FIRST AIRED A VERSION OF YOURSTORY LAST NIGHT.rtI AM SURE YOU HAVE BEEN GETTINGQUITE THE RESPONSE.JIM: IT HArtS BEEN OVERWHELMING.A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO AREMESSAGING WHERE WE WERE FIVE ORSIX YEARS AGO, SEARCHING FORANSWERS, STRUGGLING, INSURANCE,rtUNCERTAINTY, WE FOUND A LOT OFANSWERS WHEN MY WIFE STARTEDATTENDING NARANON MEETINGS FORPARENTS.rtTHEY HAVE SEPARATE MEETINGS FORPEOPLE LIKE US.WE LEARNED HOW OUR BEHAVIORCOULD MAKE THINGS WORSE AND THEREALLY TOUGH THINGS YOU NEED TODO TO SAVE AN ADDICT'S LIFE, ANDNOT BE AN ENABLER IT GOESAGAINST rtEVERYTHING YOU BELIEVEAS A PARENT.THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEENTHERE, AND THEY REALLY WANT TOHELP.AND Irt FOUND THAT I HAD BEENREFERRING A LOT OF PEOPLE WHOHAD BEEN WRITING ME OVER THELAST 24 HOURS TO THAT MEETING.SUMMER: HOW THE YOUrt FEEL ABOUTHAVING IT OUT PUBLICLY?JIM: I STARTED TELLING THE STORYIN PUBLIC ABOUT A YEAR AGO INrtAPPEARANCES FOR LUNCHEONS, ORDINNER KIND OF MEETING THINGS.THE VERY FIRST THING I DID IrtREMEMBER ASKING PEOPLE AND THECROWD, HOW MANY HAVE BEENTOUCHED BY ADDICTION AFTERSPLITTING THE WHOLE SITUATION?I ASKED FOR A SHOW OF HANDS.AND VERBALLY, A PHENOMENALNUMBER OF HArtNDS WOULD GO UP INTHE ROOM.AND IT WOULD SHOCK AND -- AND ITWAS SHOCK THE PEOPLE IN THEROOM, TOO.SO I KNEW THAT WE HAD HIT ANERVErt AND AN UNDERSERVED PART OFTHE OVERALL POPULATION.

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Jim Payne details son’s addiction story

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Updated: 4:57 PM EDT Sep 14, 2017

ORLANDO, Fla. —

WESH 2’s Jim Payne details his eldest son’s battle with addiction and the impact it had on his entire family.

Below are two pieces of bonus footage that give insight into James’ road to recovery.

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In the first clip Jim and James speak about James’ time in rehab and the importance behind a certain patio.

The second clip features James’ support group. A key component to recovery, and staying clean and sober is routine as well as physical fitness. James and his best friend Dan meet every day to play squash. Dan about the role his friendship plays in helping his son have a successful recovery.

Jim also speaks with the president of Solutions Recovery, the rehab where Jim's son got clean and sober, and where he now works. Dave Marlon talks about the first thing loved ones can do when faced with trying to help a loved one with addiction.